Addicted to Media

5 Reasons To Go To The Isle of Wight Festival 2013

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:05:21 PDT

The Isle of Wight Festival is taking place on 13-16 June 2013 and incredibly, tickets have not sold out yet. Each year, the line up for the festival gets bigger and better and this year it is simply brilliant. Weekender festivals in the UK have left me pretty cold in recent years and I’d much rather go for a day festival like As One in the Park or head over to Exit Festival in Serbia. That is why it is significant that the Isle of Wight Festival is the one of the only UK weekender festivals I’d consider going to.

Let me present five reasons why you should be going to Isle of Wight Festival 2013:

Incredible Line Up

I know, I’ve used the word “incredible” several times in this article but the line up for the Isle of Wight Festival 2013 really is that good. The Stone Roses, Paul Weller and Emeli Sandé headline on Friday night, The Killers, Bloc Party and Maccabees on Saturday, and the festival will be brought to an explosive close on Sunday with Bon Jovi, The Script and Paloma Faith.

The BT Infinity Big Top tent will kick off with veterans Happy Mondays on Thursday as well as Ellie Goulding, Sub Focus and Blondie throughout the weekend.The Dance Tent will also see a full weekend of action starting on Thursday night with Jaguar Skills, Example + DJ Wire, Alex Metric and Damian Lazarus.

Tickets Still Available

Tickets are still available for the Isle of Wight Festival and I cannot believe that they haven’t sold out. When you consider how brilliant the line up is and how much easier it is to get to than, say, Glastonbury, it really is crazy.

Family Friendly and Respect Camping

Added to that, they have separate camping grounds for families and students and last year they introduced Respect Camping ground last year for festival-goers who want to maintain a clean and tidy camping ground and leave the grounds exactly as they found them when they leave.

Easy to Get To

It is super easy to get to the Isle of Wight from London. Rail tickets cost less than £50 return if you purchase in advance and take you from London Waterloo to Ryde Pier Head in under 3 hours. The cost of your rail ticket includes the ferry from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight making this a cheaper option than driving. Once on the island, you can travel around by bus or train.

There are also numerous ticket and travel options available on the festival website.

Beautiful and Scenic

If all that doesn’t tempt you, I can tell you that the Isle of Wight is really beautiful and the weather is always just that little bit better than in London. I know that scenery isn’t always the first thing on your mind when going to festivals but with the Isle of Wight, you get to feel like you experienced a tiny island escape as well as a weekend of Wellies and warm beer.

Bonus Reason…

If for some bizarre reason I still haven’t convinced you to go to #IOW2013, then perhaps this will convince you to go next year. The Isle of Wight Festival offers an easy payment plan known as the Deposit Ticket Scheme (DTS). This allows customers to pay for tickets in 3 instalments, the first being immediately and thereafter in January and March. It really helps to break up the festival fee and applies to both weekend camping and non-camping tickets.

See you there? Which festivals are you going to this year?

Inspired: The Top 6 Pieces of Iconic Movie Seating

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:22:12 PDT

Are you seated comfortably? Good. Sit back and relax as guest author Nicky Hand discusses 6 iconic and inspired pieces of movie seating.

During the 50s and 60s, furniture designers went through something of a renaissance and began to experiment with distinctive shapes, bold colours and new combinations of materials. Some of the results became international sensations and many of the designs remain popular to this day.

There's no denying that contemporary furniture is just plain cool, and this is a reputation that has only been heightened by Hollywood. Here's a list of iconic pieces that have found lasting fame and cult status after an appearance on screen.

Eames Chair – Frasier

Frasier Crane is well known for his high class taste and his refusal to settle for anything less than the absolute finest things in life. The inclusion of a designer Eames chair in his Seattle apartment is a testament to this, and it has led to appearances of this beautiful piece in the most exclusive of interior designs.

Lips Sofa – Austin Powers

Lips sofas first appeared when Salvador Dali created a portrait of Mae West out of an entire room. Since then, their appearance in the Austin Powers series has firmly associated them with the swinging sixties. Lips sofas are undoubtedly a signature piece that can create a wow factor in bedrooms or contemporary living rooms.

Ovalia Egg Chairs – Men in Black

These instantly recognisable swivel chairs are symbolic of futuristic simplicity, which made them the perfect choice for inclusion in the poster campaign of Men in Black 2. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones holding enormous space guns will go a long way for increasing the popularity of most things, and egg chairs didn't need much help as it was. These chairs are another great choice for bedrooms and open plan living spaces.

Barcelona Chair – Casino Royale

The Barcelona chair achieves that tricky balance between retro chic and timeless elegance that fits in perfectly with the latest incarnation of Ian Fleming's classic character. Everything in Bond's universe is expected to deliver ultimate performance without compromising on ultra sleek style, and the Barcelona chair doesn't disappoint. Available in single chairs as well as longer sofas, Barcelona furniture lends glamour to a classic décor.

Djinn Chair – 2001: A Space Odyssey

Originally known as the 'low fireside chair' the Djinn is now more commonly referred to as the '2001 chair' after it appeared so prominently in Stanley Kubrick's vision of the future back in 1968. With bold colours and a relaxed slouching shape, Djinn chairs are a popular choice for stylish reception areas in creative companies.

Classical Leather Armchair – The Matrix

Utilised in the famous moment where Neo is given the choice between red or blue pills, these impressive pieces of furniture really do speak for themselves and have no problem holding their own and as the sole piece of set in a pivotal scene. A leather armchair lends itself easily to a traditional style of décor, but thanks to the cult following of Matrix fans you can also come across them incorporated into more contemporary looks too.

Written by Nicky Hand. If you're looking for a range of iconic seating then you will find lips, eggs and many more at Hansboma.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post that has been written especially for Addicted to Media.

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters (2014) – Meet the Cast

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 12 May 2013 12:26:08 PDT

The big news for fans of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series is that we will finally see the first film 2014. Richelle Mead explains that they wanted each film to have a unique title to set it apart from the multitude of films and television series in the vampire genre and the title of the first film is Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters.

In Vampire Academy, Rose Hathaway is a dhampir, half-human and half-vampire, who is training to become a guardian at the elite St Vladimir's Academy. Once qualified, she will serve to protect one of the royal or noble Moroi, a race of living, benevolent vampires who rule their society. There is only one Moroi that Rose wants to protect though, and that is her best friend Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, whom she calls Lissa. There are no lengths that Rose won’t go to in order to protect Lissa, including running away from school with her, but Vampire Academy opens with the duo being unceremoniously dragged back to the academy by guardian Dimitri Belikov. Little does he know the danger to which he is exposing them in the form of Strigoi (evil, undead vampires) and others who will use Lissa’s powers for their own purposes.

There have been several key casting announcements in the past couple of weeks and filming will begin at the end of this month.

Zoey Deutch is Rose Hathaway

Zoey Deutch most recently appeared as Emily Asher in Beautiful Creatures and she starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in Ringer too. She definitely looks the part of Rose Hathaway; Rose is half-Turkish and Zoey has a lovely olive skin. The only doubt I have is that Rose Hathaway is a warrior, she absolutely kicks ass, and Zoey looks like a princess. Perhaps she can learn some classic Buffy combat moves from Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Lucy Fry is Lissa Dragomir

Lucy Fry definitely looks the part of Lissa Dragomir, the Moroi princess and last of the Dragomir family. Lissa might appear breezy from the outside but she possesses an inner strength and poise that make her a natural and powerful leader. The Australian actress is relatively unknown but she aced the audition and convinced the casting crew that she is indeed a Moroi princess.

Danila Kozlovsky is Dimitri Belikov

I can’t begin to express how thrilled I am that they have chosen a Russian actor to play Dimitri instead of making us sit through six films worth of a terrible Russian accent. Born Danila Valerevich Kozlovskiy, Danila has several films and TV shows under his belt and won a Golden Eagle (Russian Academy Award) for Best Actor this year for his appearance as Maks in Dukhless.

If Rose Hathaway is a warrior, then Dimitri is a god of warriors and he is virtually unbeatable in the books. Kozlovsky attended the Military Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia and always said he didn’t believe his time there was wasted. Well, perhaps he will do his own stunts and fight scenes? We can only hope.

Olga Kurylenko is Headmistress Kirova

This casting choice really pleases me as I enjoyed Olga Kurylenko's performance as Julia in Oblivion. Olga plays Headmistress Kirova and we tend to see quite a lot of her because Rose tends to get in trouble a lot.

Cameron Monaghan is Mason Ashford

Cameron Monaghan is another good casting choice in terms of his appearance but, again, I have to wonder about his physique. Mason is a dhampir and is meant to be stocky and powerful whereas the Shameless actor is quite tall and slim. I guess the actor will be spending a lot of time in the gym in the weeks to come!

Sami Gayle is Mia Rinaldi

Best known as Nicky Reagan-Boyle on the hit TV series Blue Bloods, Sami Gayle is a talented young actress but she looks nothing like Mia Rinaldi. Mia is described as having soft, blonde hair that curls around her face, making her look not unlike a china doll. Her soft looks belie her nasty nature and the grudge she holds against Lissa for breaking her brother Andre’s heart. Nevertheless, Sami definitely has a doll-like quality but I believe the strength of her casting will be in her performance. Mia undergoes quite a transformation in the books and I do think Sami will be able to handle that.

Well, I’m really looking forward to the film and I can’t wait until they start releasing stills and promo shots. I’m also really looking forward to seeing who they cast as Adrian Ivashkov but I might have to wait for that one as Richelle Mead only introduced him in the second book Frostbite. Just to be clear though, I am absolutely 100% Team Belikov.

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters will be released on Valentine’s Day next year – 14 February 2014.

What do you think of the casting so far? Who do you love and who makes you the most worried?

The Top 10 Birds in Film

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy Southgate) — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:13:21 PDT

Think of birds in film and what comes to mind? Do you think of Hitchcock’s menacing villains or the heroism of Fawkes? In this tribute to Alfred Hitchcock on the 50th anniversary of The Birds, guest author Nicky Hand discusses the top 10 movie birds of all time.

Alfred Hitchcock's iconic horror movie The Birds celebrated its 50^th anniversary recently, and it seems that he sparked something of a trend for big screen appearances of our feathered friends. In honour of this momentous occasion in cinema history, here’s a list of some of the greatest birds ever to grace the silver screen.

Kevin – Up

This chocolate loving take on the South American Monal Pheasant is depicted as a taller, more colourful version of the dodo. What Kevin lacks between the ears is made up for in bucketfuls of endearing charm and it's easy to see why boy scout Russell is so immediately drawn in.

The Crow

The classic association between crows and dark magic is never stronger than in Tim Burton's gothic tale of a murdered guitarist who is brought back to life to take his revenge for himself and his fiancée. The bird who leads him to his destiny is made suitably creepy by the dark twinkle of intelligence that glitters in his eye throughout. That kind of acting just can't be taught.

Scuttle – The Little Mermaid

Scuttle is the closest thing that Ariel has to an authority on human society, and his botched attempts to invent uses for the objects that she rescues from shipwrecks leaves Ariel in some pretty embarrassing situations later in the film. But there's no doubt that Scuttle's heart is in the right place and he shows his mettle when he sticks by her side through thick and thin.

The Black Swan

Technically, the black swan is nothing more than the projection of a tortured ballet dancer as she suffers a mental breakdown in pursuit of a dark new role. Even so, this bird offers a stunning display that is both fascinating and difficult to watch. Well worthy of an honorary place in the top 10.

Kes

Growing up the wilds of Bradford, Billy Casper is unhappy at home, unhappy at school, and pretty unhappy at the prospect of taking up the coal mining career that everybody expects of him. The only thing that Billy has to look forward to is spending time with Kes, his loyal kestrel and only friend.

Fawkes – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

There's no denying that Albus Dumbledore has exotic taste in pets, and birds don't come much cooler than the legendary phoenix. Fawkes may be a beauty, but he is also a useful bird to have around when you need to escape in a flaming hurry (get it?).

The Giant Eagles – Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit

Always there when you need them most, Gwaihir and his enormous brethren are the unsung heroes of Middle Earth. The eagles know a thing or two about cinematic timing and usually leave it until the tension has built up to a fever pitch before swooping into to save the day.

Paulie

A Blue-crowned Conure makes the ideal pet for a young girl, especially when he has enough of a grasp of English to allow him to give her elocution lessons. When Paulie is thrown out by the domineering father figure he doesn't let it get him down and quickly embarks on a string of adventures with a colourful cast of new friends.

Pirate Cotton's Parrot – Pirates of the Caribbean

Ever since cotton's tongue was cut out, his trusty parrot has taken the reins in the speech department. If a talking parrot isn't enough to impress you then surely the fact that this one can telepathically read the thoughts of its master should do the trick?

Ladyhawke

Isabeau is a young woman who falls in love with the captain of the guard, but when the pair are placed under a curse she turns into a hawk during the day and sees her lover transformed into a wolf every night. While the men set about hatching a plan to kill the evil Bishop and break the curse, Isabeau spends her time alternating between the beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer, and the equally beautiful lady hawk.

Written by Nicky Hand on behalf of Gecko Home Cinemas, who can help movie lovers to create their very own home cinema and discover an experience that is truly unlike any other.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post that has been written especially for Addicted to Media.

Kaizers Orchestra in Concert: Koko, London, 25 April 2013

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:29:25 PDT

The problem with developing a liking for obscure European rock bands is that it's not always easy to catch them in concert in London. That's not to say Kaizers Orchestra is obscure, far from it, but Londoners just don't know their music and that's precisely why they are less likely to tour here.

Add to that the fact that Kaizers Orchestra are currently on the closing leg of their final tour ever and you can understand why I feel very lucky indeed to have caught the six lads from Norway in concert at London's Koko on 25 April 2013.

And what did I think of their first and last ever concert in London?

It was bloody brilliant.

I had pretty high expectations for the concert as I'd heard really good things about Kaizers Orchestra’s concerts. Indeed, as the crowd gathered before the show, this is what I heard from all the very excited people around me, many of whom were Norwegian and had flown in from Norway especially for the concert. This was confirmed when Janove asked who spoke Norwegian in the crowd and the entire audience erupted, contrasted with the three lonely voices who answered to speaking English.

My expectations were certainly high but it turns out they were nowhere near high enough. This was a perfect set played by best friends and master performers to a crowd of adoring fans.

Lead vocalist Janove Ottesen has an incredible presence on stage and yes, he is every bit as gorgeous in the flesh as he looks in promo photos. Helge Risa is marvellously cooked, tucked away in his corner like a lunatic scientist. I was almost ecstatic when he straddled himself between the organ and piano and played them both at the same time.

Highlights

The band were on stage for two full hours with the barest of breaks before they took their encore. The concert was brilliant from start to finish and it is hard to narrow down the highlights but I will certainly try.

I didn't really appreciate the oil barrels in Kaizers Orchestra songs until I saw it in action. Somehow, these lads take banging oil barrels and wheel rims to a whole new, harmonious and oh-so-sexy level. Freaking awesome.

Geir Zehl hitting the oil barrel in "Ompa til du dør" is one of my standout moments together with him playing guitar on top of it.

And I know, singers are shameless flirts and they compliment it to every crowd but I loved it when Janove called us “Kaizers Fans” and exclaimed that someone should take a photo of the entire crowd with their hands in the air. Fans can definitely make a concert and these fans certainly did.

Sad Times

Despite the perfect set and the awesome performance, I do have to make one tiny complaint. Despite playing both songs in other sets during this tour, the band played neither of my favourite tracks “Diamant Til Kull” and “170”. I was pretty sad about that but watching and singing along to “Bak et Halleluja” live more than made up for it.

Best concert ever.

Kaizers Orchestra Setlist: Koko, London, 25 April 2013

Aldri vodka, Violeta
Siste dans
Tusen dråper regn
Din kjole lukter bensin, mor
En for orgelet, en for meg
Ompa til du dør
Bøn Fra HelveteDet polaroide liv
Sigøynerblod
Forloveren
Støv og sand
KGB
I ett med verden
Kontroll på kontinentet
Philemon Arthur & the Dung
Svarte katter & flosshatter
Hjerteknuser
Maestro

Encore
Begravelsespolka
Bak et Halleluja
Die Polizei

Book Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:15:09 PDT

It has been a really long time since I've loved a protagonist in a book. There are books that I've loved, certainly, but whatever I loved about them had more to do with the stories themselves or the other characters in the book.

All of this occurred to me today when I finished Kevin Hearne's Hounded and loved it. Most importantly, I loved the lead character Atticus O'Sullivan. And that wasn't only down to his Irish accent and dashing Celtic good looks.

Hounded is the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and Atticus is the Iron Druid in question. The only living Druid remaining on earth, Atticus is over 2,000 years old and hiding out in Arizona, far away from the watchful eyes of the gods and demons that would hunt him down. He would especially like to avoid running into Aenghus Óg, the Celtic god of love who holds a remarkable amount of hatred and vengeance in his heart for one so seemingly loved up.

When Aenghus Óg tracks him down, Atticus expects him to unleash the powers of hell in his quest for vengeance but he is not about to go down without one hell of a fight. With his faithful Irish wolfhound Oberon at his side (not to mention assorted vampires, werewolves and witches wo may or may not want to kill him), Atticus is about to teach Aenghus a very valuable lesson in picking a fight with a two-thousand-year-old Druid.

In many ways, Hounded reminded me of Richelle Mead's Succubus series and Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files, without the gratuitous sex scenes or overly smug protagonist. Of course, I didn’t mind either when I read those series but Atticus O’Sullivan is just so damn likeable. Hounded is fun and irreverent and the writing is extremely witty. You get the idea that the author doesn’t take himself all that seriously and then he blows you away with ridiculously long and archaic words or his impressive knowledge of every pantheon under the sun.

Needless to say, I couldn’t put Hounded down and if you must know, I’ve torn through most of the sequel Hexed in the time it’s taken me to draft this review. An easy 5 out of 5 stars and Kevin Hearne is very possibly my New Favourite Author.

New London gay festival: As One in the Park

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:17:45 PDT

Summer is almost here which means only one thing in the United Kingdom: it’s festival season again! Come rain or shine, festival-goers across the UK flock to day festivals or weekenders every summer to catch the best line ups you can possibly imagine. Of course, this is the British summer we’re talking of, so it is more often rain than shine and there is an entire market for festival Wellies and trendy Macs.

These days I far prefer day festivals to the weekenders. I reckon I paid my dues at Glastonbury and Reading with overflowing Portaloos and cold showers. Day festivals are perfect – you get to saunter down at around lunch time, spend the day in the sun watching a fantastic line up and still make it home on the last train.

This year there is a new event on the London festival horizon to rival Hard Rock Calling and Wireless. Orange Nation, the UK’s biggest gay clubbing promotions company, are launching the As One in the Park festival which they promise to be the biggest gay gathering of the summer. As One in the Park will take place in Victoria Park, Hackney on Bank Holiday Sunday, May 26 from noon to 10pm.

Rita Ora has been announced as the main stage headliner along with Katy B, Conor Maynard and Union J. There will also be an appearance by special guest star Holly Johnson, former lead singer of one of my favourite bands of all time, Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Of course, I tend to spend a lot of my time at festivals exploring away from the main stage and As One in the Park promises an impressive additional five stages and four indoor arenas on the day. I think that the area to be will be the Best of British Arena featuring DJ sets from Roger Sanchez and Boy George.

Tickets are really reasonable in London terms and start at £40 for general admission and £75 for VIP.

Film Review: The Host

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:58:25 PDT

I have a confession to make. Sometimes when I choose to see a film it has nothing to do with expectations of a decent plot or excellent acting. No, sometimes I choose to see a film purely for its pop culture or eye candy value. That was certainly the case with The Host. I had read the very rotten Rotten Tomato reviews and expected absolute rubbish, a convoluted storyline and a big mess as they tried to bring an impossible concept to the big screen.

Despite all of that I wanted to see it because I enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's 2008 novel The Host and I wanted to see it brought to life in film. (Note: ‘enjoyed’ in this context means I absolutely couldn’t put the book down but while simultaneously wanting to strangle both the author and her female protagonist. Stephenie Meyer tends to do that to me – she makes me despair for all of womankind).

I did not expect to like The Host; in fact, I knew there was a large chance I’d really dislike it and that at best it would be a welcome diversion.

I was completely wrong because I loved every single minute of it.

The Host is a dystopian novel set in a future where parasitic aliens have colonised earth and taken over human bodies, erasing their thoughts and minds. Except that some humans are too strong and refuse to fade into the background as the perfect, peaceful and placid aliens go about their two-dimensional lives. Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) is one such human who overcomes her parasite Wanderer’s will to return to the people she loves, no matter what. The only problem is that those people view her as an alien now and Wanderer isn’t going anywhere.

Casting

They don't often get the casting right when they bring books to film. Or I guess it's more accurate to say that casting doesn't always meet the expectations of fans who have been dreaming about ideal castings for years. I thought the casting in The Host was perfect, it couldn’t have been better if Stephenie Meyer had written her book based on these characters alone.

Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) plays the roles of both Melanie Stryder and Wanderer and she does it really well. She looked exactly as I’d expected Melanie to look and handled talking to herself for half the film surprisingly well.

Jake Abel (Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief) was perfect as Ian O’Shea. I’m a big fan of his anyway but I really enjoyed watching him as he first became protective and then slowly fell in love with Wanderer. I thought the chemistry between him and Wanderer was great which just goes to show what a great actor Saoirse Ronan is because she slipped so easily into her dual roles of Melanie and Wanderer.

William Hurt, Max Irons and Boyd Holbrook were excellently cast as Jeb, Jared and Kyle but special mention has to go to Chandler Canterbury in his role as Jamie. Jamie is Melanie’s younger brother and Chandler gave a fantastic performance. This is one actor to look out for in the future!

Cinematography and Design

I was really blown away by how much the film matched what I’d expected from reading the book. Now I’m not saying Stephenie Meyer is a great author but the last the last time I had that strange feeling of deja vu in a film was in the final Harry Potter films. So I was a little shocked when the landscape, hills and terrain looked exactly as I’d imagined them to in the book. Life inside the caves was brilliantly brought to life with the underground river, living quarters and the mirror-lit field of corn.

Likewise, it was fun to see the alien stores, technology and bland clothing.

Less Nauseating

I wasn’t sure what to call this section so I’m going to stick with “Less Nauseating”. In the book, Melanie Stryder / Wanderer is very much of a Mary Sue character. She’s insecure, self-deprecating and has a ridiculously high tolerance for abuse. There is far less of this in the film and we get to see the fun side of both characters without the endless internal monologue of doubts and surprise when anyone doesn’t hate her.

Sure this meant less of the back story of life on other planets which was really interesting in the book but it also did away with the cheesy “life is good and we must live it” evangelism.

The Verdict

I loved it even though I really didn’t expect to. I loved it enough to want to see it again and to definitely want it on Blu-ray (to sit beside my Twlight Blu-ray box set on the shelf). It is definitely possible that my reaction is partly due to being a semi-fan of Stephenie Meyer and her ridiculous books (I’ve long had a love-hate relationship with her works) but The Husband’s only complaint about it was that it was a little slow-moving.

My recommendation? Don’t listen too much to the bad reviews. Give it a chance and make your own mind up. Definitely watch it if you’re a fan.

I give it five out of five stars.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters – new teaser trailer and photos

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:39:14 PDT

I have to be honest, I did not think we were ever going to see the sequel to Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief (2010). Based on Rick Riordan’s best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, a sequel was announced as early as March 2011 but it just never seemed to come to fruition. Interestingly enough, I did not really enjoy the first book in the series, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief but I did enjoy the first film (enough to see it twice) and was really pleased to hear that they were releasing more in the series.

Well, the cast is all grown up now but Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters will finally be released in August 2013 in the UK and USA. Logan Lerman is back as Percy Jackson and Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario will reprise their roles as Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase.

There will be no shortage of eye candy in the sequel. Nathan Fillion joins the cast as Hermes while Jake Abel is back as Luke. There have been some interesting casting swaps too with Stanley Tucci replacing Luke Camilleri as Dionysus and Anthony Head replacing Pierce Brosnan as Chiron. Personally, I haven’t been a fan of Pierce Brosnan since Remington Steele and I’ve been a fan of Anthony Head since Buffy so I’m happy with this last casting choice.

In Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Camp Half-Blood is under threat and Percy and his demigod friends must travel to the Sea of Monsters (or the Bermuda Triangle as we mere humans know it) to retrieve the Golden Fleece and save the day.

Which all brings us to the trailer. I’m a little underwhelmed by it. I’ll definitely still watch the film but I certainly hope the film is better than the trailer. In the meantime, I’ll definitely be reading the books before the August.

Iron Man 3: New Mandarin Character Banner

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy Southgate) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:48:34 PST

It's strange, I've never really got into the Iron Man films. Stranger so when you consider that I loved Thor and Avengers Assemble. It's not that I didn't like the first two Iron Man films, it's just that I have never managed to stay awake in either of them.

Well, I really like the look of Ben Kingsley as Mandarin and think it's definitely time that I give the Iron Man films another try. Enjoy the poster.

Arc & Stones: Interview With Dan Pellarin and Ben Cramer

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:09:39 PST

Brooklyn’s Arc & Stones are due to release their eponymous EP this week and I caught up with them to ask them about how they met, the evolution of their distinctive music style and where to from here.

How did you meet and when did you start making music together?

Ben Cramer: I met Dan and Eddy while attending University of Miami a couple years ago. We were all in the music school together and were good friends. Eddy and I left Miami after a year to pursue our solo careers, while Dan decided to stay another year in Miami.

Dan Pellarin: Midway though my second year there, Ben and I had been really discussing the possibility of a starting a band, and through a lot of long phone conversations and personal thought, I thought it was time to really explore the real world of music, instead of being stuck in a classroom, and not out performing, and what better way than to start it up with good 'ol Ben Jammin'. I loaded up the truck, went from Miami to ATL, grabbed Ben, and it was off to NYC for us to start this journey.

Ben: We got up here June (2012) and just starting writing like mad men haha. Eddy coincidentally moved to NYC as well so we asked him to play bass for us.

Dan: We actually found Joe, our drummer, on Craigslist... could be the greatest find of all time haha.

You have a really distinctive sound. Can you tell us a bit more about how your sound evolved?

Ben: Being from the South I've grown up heavily influenced from southern-rock/blues music so that influence kind of works its way in there when I'm writing. We also want to write songs we can picture being played in front of big audiences.

Dan: I grew up on a bit of a different plane. I was always into the big, edgy, atmospheric music that sounded gigantic on the records. Whether it's Rock, Soul, Industrial, or Electronica, I always look for the big choruses and the driving verse riffs and progressions, which I strive for when I write. It has only been a short 6 months since we've started all the writing together, but it really has been a great blend for us. We've coined our music thus far as being "Old soul meets a new sound."

What are your plans for the future? After this EP will you be recording an album or touring over the summer?

Ben: Our EP is set to come out February 12th, 2013. We have been playing a lot of shows in NYC just getting our live act as tight as possible. We love playing live just as much as we enjoy writing music, so we try and work very hard on putting together a great live show for our fans. We plan on hitting the road later this spring and all through the summer. We want to be on tour as much as possible, as long as it makes sense.

Dan: Touring is a pretty big priority for us, as we would love the continuous exposure, but writing is also really big on our list as well. We are constantly writing new material almost everyday, and are really trying to become more mature and developed as songwriters. We need the shows, the tours, the exposure, but while we tackle those, we are continuously in search of the good songs haha. We plan on releasing much more in the near future, and right now it's just a real exciting time for all of us.

The Arc & Stones EP will be released Tuesday, 12 February 2013 and will be available on the Arc & Stones Bandcamp page.

Arc & Stones links:
Twitter – Facebook – Website – ReverbNation – SoundCloud – You Tube

Book Review: Ghost Money by Andrew Nette

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 10:34:20 PST

Cambodia, 1996: almost 20 years have passed since the fall of the Khmer Rouge and the country remains in a state of conflict, corruption and turmoil. As amnesty negotiations to bring breakaway Khmer Rouge cadres out of their north-western stronghold continue, average Cambodians struggle to piece their lives back together in the face of the devastating losses and horrors of the past.

This is the backdrop of Andrew Nette's crime noir novel Ghost Money. Max Quinlan is a former police officer turned private detective who is on the trail of missing businessman Charles Avery. The trail begins in Bangkok but soon enough leads to the seedy underbelly of Phnom Penh where Quinlan finds himself up against corrupt policemen and organised master criminals. With the help of an ambitious reporter and a Cambodian translator, Quinlan continues on Avery's trail but every step he takes leads him into greater danger. Will Quinlan find his man before he loses himself?

Ghost Money is dark and gritty and transports the reader to a world where life is cheap and women are commodities. The sights, sounds and odours of mid-90s Phnom Penh come alive as Nette introduces us to a host of different characters and personalities. Quinlan is spurred on by memories of an alcoholic father and a checkered past, while his adversaries are exceedingly corrupt and motivated by pure greed.

Like many novels in this genre, character development is somewhat limited to the protagonist’s ruminations about past events but what is conveyed quite strongly is the mood and atmosphere of the time, like a faded and yellowed photograph.

What distinguishes Ghost Money from other crime noir novels is the detailed focus on the history of the Khmer Rouge and the way this is woven into the story through Quinlan's own recollections, newspaper articles, and the memories and observations of the individual characters. Being somewhat familiar with the events of that time, I was impressed by the authenticity of Nette's narrative and found that it provided a fascinating backdrop to the events in the novel.

I would recommend Ghost Money to fans of historical and crime fiction alike and will certainly be keeping an eye on this author.

A former journalist and communications consultant for the UN, Andrew Nette is now based in Melbourne. In his spare time, Nette runs the website Pulp Curry where he shares his fascination for crime fiction and film.

Ghost Money is Nette's debut novel and is published by Snubnose Press. It is available to purchase on Kindle at Amazon.com.

Article first published as Book Review: Ghost Money by Andrew Nette on Blogcritics.

An advance, electronic copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this review and all opinions contain herein are my own. This review contains affiliate links.

Book Review: Lord Loss (The Demonata 1) by Darren Shan

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:10:13 PST

I'm not really sure what's wrong with me lately. It seems that I can't stop reading demonic or ghostly horror stories. Decapitations, deformed monsters, waterfalls and fountains of blood? Perfect. The more gory it gets, the better as far as I'm concerned.

I knew that Darren Shan was a highly respected author, mastermind behind the celebrated Cirque du Freak series, but it was my thirst for gory, young adult horror that made me pick up The Demonata series.

And I'm glad I did. The first book in the series is Lord Loss and it features Grubitsch Grady (although he'd really rather you call him Grubbs) who witnesses a brutal demonic massacre that makes him doubt whether he'll ever make the journey back from the edge of sanity.

Emerging from his waking nightmares, Grubbs realises that the massacre was just the beginning and that demons, magic and the supernatural are to play a far greater role in his life than he could ever have imagined.

I really enjoyed the description of the demons, their absolutely terrible and unique deformities and the conceptualisation of the demon master Lord Loss. I thought that the depiction of Grubbs's horror and recovery was particularly well written and a realistic portrayal of the post-trauma process. Finally, I loved the idea of a demonic chess death match.

Relatively short at 224 pages, Lord Loss should appeal to reluctant readers and lovers of young adult, supernatural fiction or horror. I wouldn't recommend the book for squeamish readers but definitely recommend it for lovers of demonic gore and mayhem.

I give Lord Loss an easy 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely be reading the rest of the books in the series.

Lord Loss (The Demonata #1) is available to purchase at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

TV Review: Merlin – “The Diamond of the Day” (parts 1 & 2)

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:22:15 PDT

I never wanted to watch the final episode of BBC Merlin. I was convinced for the longest time that there would be a sixth season and I was horribly unprepared for the news that the show was to end after the fifth season. It is especially difficult because this has not been the best of seasons: I hated the storyline of Morgana’s breaking of Guinevere’s spirit and the subsequent hijacking of her will. That magical spell of Arthur and Guinevere’s romance, of his choosing to be with her in spite of her standing as a servant girl, was broken.

The temptation is to draw this out forever but I won’t. I’ll be a good fangirl and write up my final Merlin review ever. I’ve combined both episodes as well as they were aired together and it would be silly to spilt it up

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Gratuitous spoilers for “The Diamond of the Day” (parts 1 & 2)

Bittersweet Love and Regrets

“The Diamond of the Day” started of really well. I really enjoyed the first scenes where Morgana stole the magical powers from Ari (Peter Guinness). Mordred’s comment about about Morgana destroying loyal allies would have been deeply telling if it had been uttered in the first couple of episodes of the season (say, instead of the Evil Guinevere arc) but really, it was a bit wasted here.

I did enjoy the scene with Merlin (Colin Morgan) cheating at dice. Arthur made such progress in growing up and becoming more respectful in seasons 3 and 4 but rarely have we seen any of that in this final season. I was just glad to see Merlin get the upper hand for once.

I even liked the scene where Merlin lost his magic. It s crazy because for the longest time, I was worried that it was Gaius (Richard Wilson) who had lost his magic and didn’t for a moment think it would happen to Merlin. What a fabulous concept.

I was bursting with pride at Arthur’s decision to ride out to meet Morgana (Katie McGrath) in battle and to protect his subjects from further harm. But that turned to heartache when they agreed to make their last stand at Camlann.

My Heart Begins to Tear Apart

“The Diamond of the Day” was difficult to watch and my heart soon began to tear apart. Part of it was the suspense and knowing that it was ending, part of it was that too much was going wrong and there was no time to fix it. I think I felt physical pain in my chest when Arthur accused Merlin of being a coward. I can barely write about it now. It was so unfair and Merlin deserved so much better than this, disappointment with barely an hour to go until the end.

I loved the scenes in the Valley of the Fallen Kings and in the Crystal Cave. As British television moves aware from genre shows, I know that it will be a long time before we see such magical, beautiful scenes in a UK show. Somehow hidden caves and ancient stones don’t quite match up with hard-hitting crime dramas.

As part 1 of the two-part finale came to a close, Merlin was locked in a cave without his powers. He was alone and had no one but Gaius to believe in him (and Gwaine at a stretch). It was a dire moment and I had to wonder whether all would be saved in the final hour.

The Grand Finale

I kind of loved that Merlin’s father Balinor (John Lynch) returned as Merlin’s spirit guide to help him reclaim his magic and escape the Crystal Cave. The scene with Merlin standing tall on the mountain over Camlann, wielding his magic, and commanding the dragon Aithusa was incredible. I loved that Arthur killed Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) but was devastated that he was stabbed with the sword forged in dragon’s breath. My heart finally stopped beating when Merlin picked Arthur up and carried him from the battle.

But I was so disappointed in the magic reveal. Let me emphasise that. I hated the magic reveal. It was absolutely underwhelming. I hated that Arthur still didn’t show Merlin respect, that his reaction was one of disappointment, hurt and betrayal. The look on Merlin’s face when Arthur said he’d lied to him all this time nearly finished me, it was very nearly my undoing.

I wonder if the writers realise that they spent five years building a character up, that they named a show after him and made him a hero and then they destroyed him in the last episode? Merlin deserved so much more than this and so did the viewers. Then again, Guinevere (Angel Coulby) deserved more than what she got this season too.

After that, there isn’t too much more to say. I loved the moment when Guinevere realised that Merlin was the sorcerer but died a little bit when Gwaine (Eoin Macken) died. I was only revived because Percival (Tom Hopper) was so awesome in that scene.

And yay! Morgana died in the end. But then so did Arthur and I still don’t think that Merlin came even close to receiving the glory he deserved. And what the heck was that final scene with the truck?

Verdict

Ultimately, “The Diamond of the Day” broke my heart. Actually, the whole of the fifth and final season of BBC Merlin broke my heart. I wish that my heartbreak had to do with the unavoidable death of King Arthur, the once and future king but it didn’t. It had to do with the writers short-changing fans and assassinating two of our favourite characters. I’ve decided that it just won’t do. I won’t accept it. I’ve decided to rewrite the final season.

Whereby I Rewrite the Final Season of Merlin

Why did the writers not spend the last season focusing on Merlin’s magic?

Merlin could have lost his magic at in a two-episode season opener and then regained it. There could have been a explosive mid-season reveal where Arthur finally learned of his magic and that could have been followed by Merlin and Arthur fighting darkness together. The kingdom of Camelot could have been united once and for all with the Druids and citizens of Camelot fighting for a common goal. Morgana could have uncovered Emrys’s true identity in the 9th episode and then we could have had a devastating finale where Arthur and Merlin fight side by side with the Knights of Camelot but Arthur still dies.

I have to admit, I think I prefer my version and this is how I will choose to remember my favourite show.

The Most Memorable Quotes of All

Mordred: “He was a loyal soldier. In robbing him of his magic, you’ve lost yourself a powerful ally”.

___

Arthur: “You know Merlin, all those jokes about you being a coward? I never really meant any of them. I always though you were the bravest man I ever met. I guess I was wrong”.

___

Guinevere: "Your plan is brave and bold and our only chance to defeat Morgana once and for all. Yes, we could have held out in the citadel but for how long? And at what cost to the kingdom? I have never for a moment doubted the valour and wisdom of this choice".

___

Gaius: "Arthur, he doesn't just have magic. There are those who say he is the greatest sorceror ever to walk this earth".

___

Arthur: "All these years Merlin, you never once sought any credit.

All images © BBC / Shine

TV Review: Merlin – “The Drawing of the Dark”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:27:44 PDT

The end of the the hit BBC series is certainly nigh but “The Drawing of the Dark” is a confounding episode. On the one hand, it was really good and ended with the ultimate betrayal but before all that, there was the small matter of a couple of minor inconsistencies. And by minor, I mean massive.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Gratuitous spoilers for “The Drawing of the Dark”

It Just Doesn’t Add Up

I have always doubted Mordred and didn’t for one minute buy his loyal act. I honestly thought that he had returned to Camelot for nefarious reasons and that he was constantly plotting against Arthur. That is why I was so frustrated by the lack of storyline around Mordred and the fact that he was such a non-character. Of course, my assumption was perfectly reasonable given the realisation that Merlin reaches in the very first season:

“You're saying that this little boy will kill Arthur?” - Merlin to Kilgharrah, “The Beginning of the End” (season 1, episode 8)

Indeed, it would have been foolish to reach any other conclusion. And who could forget Mordred's threat to Merlin towards the end of season 2?

“I shall never forgive this Emrys, and I shall never forget” - Mordred to Merlin, "The Witches Quickening" (season 2, episode 11)

Well, apparently Merlin’s writers can.

In this version of Merlin, the writers have forgotten all of that and Mordred is loyal to Arthur, is truly blind to Arthur’s oppression of the Druids and even regards him as a friend. Rather than tackle the difficult subject of tyranny and oppression, the writers reduce Mordred’s ultimate betrayal to his love for a girl.

It is frustrating and inconsistent and the writers have destroyed one of the strongest themes of the entire series. It is lazy writing and I realise that they had to make some difficult choices given the show’s imminent demise but they should never have even tried to make Mordred an ally. Why didn’t they build up his anger and fury rather than indulging in the truly crappy storyline involving Guinevere turning evil?

If I judge it on its own though and not against these inconsistencies, there were good and bad parts to the episode.

The Good

There were so many characters in Merlin who begged for mercy and deferred to Arthur that it was refreshing to see Kara (Alexandra Dowling) absolutely defiant to the end.

I enjoyed her first conversation with Arthur where she justified her actions but where Arthur admitted that he would not have been so hard on users of magic if they hadn’t used their magic for evil means.

I loved that Merlin begged Arthur throughout the episode to reconsider his decision and show mercy and that he warned Arthur that this would turn Mordred against him. I also loved that Arthur did try to give Kara a chance and I even kind of loved that she was still defiant and refused to confess.

The Bad

I really couldn’t stand the fact that Merlin is still portrayed as a bumbling idiot and that Merlin has not matured one little bit. I did read that the writers had refused the magic reveal earlier in the show but couldn’t they have still managed to show Merlin a bit of respect? Evidently not.

I was disappointed that to the end, Arthur’s ignorance runs so deep that everything could be lost because of it. We know that all will be lost anyway but a modicum of character development in the final season would have been nice. And I hate the idea that the series could end while this ignorance still prevails. There is just no time for any great reveal to matter – where is the lesson in that?

The Final Scene

I’d always dreamed of that moment when Morgana would finally realise that Emrys was none other than Merlin. I’d imagined trumpets and fanfare as Merlin rose victorious and I’d certainly imagined that he would do reveal himself, showing himself to be the far greater sorcerer and Morgana’s ultimate doom. Mordred’s final reveal was a tiny bit underwhelming but I still took the opportunity to yell “noooooooooooooooooo” at the television.

Memorable Quotes

Mordred: “Why are you doing this? Everything I do, you think the worst”

___

Kara: “It is not I, Arthur Pendragon, who needs to answer for my crimes. It is you”

___

Kara: “I cannot repent a crime I have not committed”
Arthur: "Kara..."
Kara: "It is not a crime to fight for your freedom. It is not a crime to fight for the right to be who you are. You deserve everything that is coming to you, Arthur Pendragon"

TV Review: Merlin - “The Kindness of Strangers”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 13:00:24 PST

I knew it the minute I found out that BBC’s Merlin had been cancelled. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to finish watching it. To this day, I have not been able to finish watching Buffy, Veronica Mars or Prison Break and it took massive amounts of determination to watch the final seasons of Charmed and The O.C. I don’t know what it is, perhaps it is some misjudged sense of delaying the inevitable conclusion or of never wanting the magic to end, but I just can’t do it. Nevertheless, as strange as it might seem, I know that I have to finish what I started and I’ve made my decision: I will watch the final four episodes of Merlin and I will review them.

Of course, I’m not even sure if it is any fun anymore. Things that I found moderately annoying before, like the adult Mordred or Arthur’s arrogance, are driving me mad now and all I can think of is whether or not they’ll be able to wrap up the entire series properly in four more episodes. I’m going to put it all into perspective and keep an open mind because there is a reason that this has been my favourite show for the past five years.

Episode 10 of BBC Merlin begins with an urgent chase through the forest as Morgana (Katie McGrath) and her cronies hone in on the fleeing Alator (Gary Lewis). As far as Morgana knows, Alator is one of the only people who knows the identity of Emrys but Alator would rather die than tell her. In this pivotal episode, Merlin learns that he is closer to his true destiny than ever before and that time is indeed running out.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Gratuitous spoilers for “The Kindness of Strangers”

What I Didn't Like

I’ve always loved the banter and humour in Merlin but at the same time, I appreciated that Arthur (Bradley James) was growing up and that he was coming to appreciate and respect Merlin. With that in mind, Arthur’s was insufferable in this episode and his arrogance towards Merlin was at an all time high. As a fan, I would rather Merlin’s magic have been exposed by now, at least at the beginning of this final season, and I just find this to be a step too far in the wrong direction.

Likewise, the cloakroom antics with the Knights of Camelot has been done so many times before. If this representation of Arthurian legend is going to end at Camlann in just four more episodes, I’m not really sure I want any comic relief at all. Perhaps I’m just experiencing a serious sense of humour failure?

I decided in this episode that I really don’t like Alexander Vlahos as Mordred. Actually, I think I might have said that about every other episode. He just doesn’t have the intensity and presence that Asa Butterfield had and I find him creepy (and not in a good way). I get it, he’s meant to be duplicitous and evil but this portrayal is pretty one-dimensional given Mordred’s history.

Finally, this is going to sound a bit contradictory given my request for more darkness two paragraphs ago, but I really didn’t like the deaths of Alator and Finna (Sorcha Cusack). They just seemed pretty gratuitous to me and both characters deserved a far better send off.

What I Liked

The photography and cinematography in this episode was quite beautiful with a lot of misty forest scenes and sequences in creepy old castles. I especially liked the setting of the ruins at the Old Temple of Erui where Merlin met up with Finna.

Alator and Finna were the real heroes of this episode, despite Gaius’s initial misgivings and I was thrilled when Finna warned Merlin that Arthur’s trust in Mordred was misplaced. i also really loved Gary Lewis’s Scottish accent and his beautiful voice seemed to wrap itself around his excellent dialogue.

The scene with Kilgharrah was extremely touching, as were the scenes with Finna and Gaius where Merlin comes to terms with his fate and destiny (see the quotes below). The profecy Finna handed to Merlin about the battle at Camlann was especially significant and marked the final march towards the conclusion of the legend. All told, this was a pretty momentous episode and so I present…

Momentous Quotations

There were some pretty incredible scenes in this episode but these were just some of my favourites:

Merlin: “How did you know my name?”

Finna: “From my master Alator of the Catha. He sends you greetings but also a warning. The great battle nears, the fate of Camelot rests in the balance. Only you, great Emrys, can ensure the triumph of the Once and Future King”.

______

Alator: “You think I fear death?”

Morgana: "Shall I let you into a secret, Alator? I'm no longer interested in what you think or what you fear".

Aator: “I shall pass to the other world happy in the knowledge that you will never find Emrys. He is your destiny Morgana and he is your doom”.

______

Merlin: “It won’t always be like this. Things will be better”.

Finna: “That is why I was sent, to help you make it so”.

______

Merlin: "Why are you doing this for me?"

Finna: “Without you, Emrys, Arthur cannot build a new word we all long for.”.

Merlin: “I don’t understand”.

Finna: “For hundreds of years the Catha have guarded their ancient knowledge but now the time has come to pass it on… to you Emrys. For only you can carry their hopes into the great battle itself”.

______

Finna: “There is something else, something Alator himself wanted me to tell you. Do not make the same mistake as Arthur. Do not trust the druid boy”.

______

Merlin: "Are you alright?"

Kilgharrah: “Of course”.

Merlin (pointing): “Your wing”.

Kilgharrah: “I am tired Emrys, that is all, but I shall serve you as long as I have the strength”.

Merlin: “If you’re ill, I can heal you”.

Kilgharrah: “There are some things even a warlock as great as you cannot overcome. I am old, Emrys, my time has almost come”.

Merlin: “No”.

Kilgharrah: “It is the cycle of life, no more, no less”.

Merlin: “What will I do without you?”

Kilgharrah: “You will remember me”.

Merlin: “Willl I see you again?”

______

Merlin: “So many have suffered so that I may hear this”.

Gaius: “Yes… I think I know what’s going through your mind Merlin. That your destiny’s almost too much for one man to bear”.

Merlin: “You.. you always did know me best, Gaius”.

Gaius: “Be assured of one thing. There was never anyone more capable than you Merlin. You will not fail.

All images © BBC / Shine

TV Review: Merlin - “With All My Heart”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 12:41:44 PST

It’s been just five days since we received the nuntius horrendus that the current season of Merlin will be the last and it feels rather strange to continue with weekly reviews. I’ve loved this show from the very first episode and while I worry that they won’t wrap the story up in four more episodes, I have to trust the producers’ assertion that it was always meant to be this way.

Co-creators and executive producers, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, confirm the current series will be the last: “This is the series where the storylines truly reach their apex. We always felt the story of the legend was best told across five series, leading to a spectacular finale that draws on the best known elements of this much-loved story and brings to a conclusion the battle for Camelot.

Let the Official End of Merlin Mourning Period commence.

The ninth episode of the final season of Merlin begins with a typical scene of Guinevere weaving her manipulation, this time on Sir Percival. But prepare for a great surprise as this is the episode where everything changes.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Gratuitous spoilers for “With All My Heart”

It seems that “With All My Heart” takes place some time after the events of the previous episode for Arthur is aware that Guinevere is a sock puppet for Morgana. Arthur and Merlin have followed Guinevere out of the castle and witness an exchange between Morgana and the queen in which Guinevere divulges the route of an upcoming levy collection.

Arthur is quite eager to break Morgana’s control over Guinevere and even more so when Gaius explains the nature of the sorcery to which she has been subjected. Gaius explains that the spell Teine Diaga is an Old Religion ritual meaning The Sacred Fire. It works by delivering unimaginable terror to the victim until their will is no longer their own and they become slaves to the high priestess. Gaius knows of only one other sorceror beyond Morgana who might know how to break this spell and that is the Dochraid.

What I Loved

I was really impressed with the concept of the Teine Diaga and the notion that the spell could so break Guinevere’s spirit that Morgana was able to control her. And I love the idea that after everything she went through, it was Arthur’s love and her promise of “with all my heart” that saved her.

I liked the idea of the Cauldron of Arianrhod, that the white goddess could be reached there and the notion that Guinevere must enter the Cauldron willingly without trickery or beguilement. Expecting something of a witches cauldron, I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the Cauldron was.

I loved Merlin’s face when Gaius announces that the sorcerer who would help them at the Cauldron was a woman. I got bored with Dragoon the Great, the crotchety old man that Merlin has disguised himself as throughout the seasons, and although I was a little wary of more not-so-hilarious antics, I was not disappointed in the end.

Merlin more than stole the show in this episode (well, it is his show) and I loved how brave he was in the face of Aithusa and how he was able to command her. Is this an omen of what is to come?

Even thought I had my doubts, my favourite part of the episode was the entire scene at the Cauldron with the sorcerer Dolma (better known as Merlin in drag). Colin Morgan was spectacular in this scene and I loved that the comedy was finely balanced with a wise and powerful alter ego.

I adored the theme “with all my heart” and was cheering when Guinevere finally walked into the Cauldron of Arianrhod and was freed. Yes, she still killed a man which means that her soul is tainted (because this is a show of myths and legends and that is what myths and legends proclaim). Regardless, it was a very satisfying resolution of the arc and I am glad that we get to move on with the story now.

And finally, I think I love that Mordred knows about Merlin. Please, please, please let Merlin get the recognition he finally deserves by the end of the show.

Memorable Quotes

The Dochraid: "If she is tricked, forced or beguiled, she will fall into the abyss."

___

Arthur: “Why would a recluse be interested in clothes?”
Merlin: “I don’t know Arthur. She’s a sorcerer. She’s not going to be normal, is she?”

___

Dolma: “You must reach her Arthur. Reach that part of your queen which has remained untouched by the evil of Morgana”

Arthur: “Is there such a part?”

Dolma: “You must believe there is”

___

Dolma: “Remember what saved your queen, magic and sorcery”

Arthur: “It was sorcery that bewitched her”

Dolma: “There is no evil in sorcery, only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this”.

Merlin returns on Saturday, 8 December at 7.55pm with “The Kindness of Strangers ”.

All images © BBC / Shine

Book review: Strangers in the Land by Stant Litore

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 11:31:28 PST

Israel, 1160 BC. The ravenous dead stumble across the land in their endless pursuit of the living. Torn apart by memories of her first encounter with the walking dead, the prophetess Devora must face her greatest fears and face them head on. Armed with just an iron blade, Devora is accompanied by the Nazarite Zadok, the warrior Barak and the slave girl Hurriya. Together they must travel across the Promised Land to Walls and beyond to rid the land of the undead scourge.

Strangers in the Land is the third book in Stant Litore’s The Zombie Bible series which rewrites the Old Testament from the entirely plausible point of view that the events described were in fact part of a zombie apocalypse. It might sound a bit ridiculous but in the execution Strangers in the Land is ultimately devastating while tackling the universal issues of inequality, prejudice, otherness and the lengths humans go to in order to devour one another. It is also a lot of fun.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I could not put it down and felt my heart pounding against my ribcage as the characters raced across the land in an attempt to catch up with the hordes of unseeing and insatiable dead. Not for one minute did I stop to think that this was not how it actually happened in the Bible, so convincing was Litore’s version of his story.

Litore’s attention to detail was impressive and the biblical land of Israel came alive on the pages as he described the tent dwellings of the Hebrews, the cedar houses of the Canaanites and the different tribes and people across the land. I loved the notion of a land in the process of climate change as the fertile valleys began to dry up and the desert took over.

Of particular note is the characterisation of Devora and I have to say that this is one of the best characterisations of a female protagonist I have read in ages. Devora is strong, brave, confident and powerful and despite her prejudices and errors of judgement, she grows and becomes better for it. This is no damsel in need of saving by a man and in fact, the tables are often turned as Devora commands those around her. I really wish there were more characters like this and I can’t believe that they would only be found in a biblical setting.

Finally, I loved the theme running right through the book of strangers in the land and the parallels to our own time and the fact that we still hate each other when in reality, we're all human.

I have no hestitation in giving Strangers in the Land five out of five stars and will certainly be reading the rest of the series in order to feed my insatiable hunger for more of Litore’s historical mashups.

Strangers in the Land is available to purchase on Amazon.com

Article first published as Book Review: Strangers in the Land by Stant Litore on Blogcritics.

An advance, electronic copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this review and all opinions contain herein are my own. This review contains affiliate links.

TV Review: Merlin - “The Hollow Queen”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 02:38:50 PST

It is not easy recovering from an episode like “A Lesson in Vengeance” where your primary reaction is from a fan’s point of view and you are disappointed, perhaps angry, with the turn a show has taken. Nevertheless, I made the decision to judge all further episodes of Merlin on their own merit and only refer briefly to my quarrel with Guinevere’s confounding change of heart.

In the dead of night, a lone boy breaks into the castle at Camelot. He runs into an evening patrol lead by Guinevere, but the queen insists that he is harmless and must be left to go on his way. The boy finds Merlin where he introduces himself as Daegal, a Druid. He needs Merlin’s help to aid his ailing sister who is lying half a day away in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. Merlin ignores his better instincts and leaves with the boy.

While Merlin runs into trouble in the forests of Albion, Guinevere is left to weave her deceit in Camelot with tragic consequences.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Spoilers for “The Hollow Queen”

The Return of Love

Ignoring Guinevere, there was a lot to love about this episode.

In a way, I love that Merlin was so easily trapped, that after everything he has seen, he would rush to the aid of a Druid family. Ultimately, it was this benevolence and morality that was his saving grace in this episode.

Colin Morgan proved his worth yet again and I loved Merlin’s look of dawning realisation that Daegal had lead him astray.

I was thrilled that we finally learned how Morgana got to the bottom of the pit with Aithusa in “Arthur’s Bane part 2”, that it was at The Sarrum's hands. We finally learn what was wrong with Aithusa, that she had been crippled by her confinement in the well with Morgana because there was not enough space for her to grow. Thumbs up to the writers for finally answering some of our questions!

I love that the eerie music was playing again in the scenes between Morgana and Guinevere. I’m going to call it “Morgana and Guinevere’s Theme”. They do release soundtracks each season so be sure to check on Amazon.co.uk for the season 5 soundtrack.

I loved Daegal (Alfie Stewart) and I did so even when I thought he was evil. I love that he came back to rescue Merlin and that he wouldn’t leave his side. Mostly, I liked that after everything he’d been through with the loss of his mother, Daegal was still able to recognise the good in Merlin. And yes, Alfie Stewart is on Twitter: @AlfiexStewart.

Non-verbal communication is key in this season with the enemy among us in Camelot. There is so much that the characters cannot say as they cannot risk Guinevere realising that she has been exposed. With that in mind, I loved the look on Gaius's face when he confirms that Guinevere is no longer on their side. Like Colin Morgan, Richard Wilson is a truly remarkable actor.

I adored Merlin in “The Hollow Queen” and his truly courageous battle to overcome the poison, fight the bandits and make it back to Camelot in time to save Arthur’s life. He was absolutely brilliant in this episode.

I was cheering when The Sarrum (John Shrapnel) double-crossed Guinevere. Of course he would do so! That is the problem with newcomers to the arena of betrayal and sedition, they get arrogant and play all their cards. Well, The Sarrum saw right through Guinevere.

I loved the scene in the great hall and I loved the crossbow-wielding assassin Albin (Matthew Clancy) , his death and the death of The Sarrum. That scene with Merlin leaning over the balcony was incredible, showing how truly powerful and masterful he is.

And finally, I loved Merlin and Guinevere's visual stand off in the final scene and that while he didn’t contradict the queen, he didn’t capitulate and rush to support her version of the events either. He did not reveal what he knows about her and the game is most certainly still on.

Love Hurts

I was really impressed with “The Hollow Queen” and equally impressed by the parts that made me sad. I really did not like Guinevere’s betrayal first of Arthur and later of Merlin. The latter was especially hurtful because Merlin has never once waivered in his greatness and morality (nor in his support of Guinevere, peasants and sorcerers) and whatever the Pendragon kings might have done, Merlin did not deserve that.

I did not like the scene with Merlin lying alone and poisoned but that was absolutely redeemed by Daegal’s return.

It was really sad that Daegal perished in the end but it certainly fitted in well with the rest of that scene.

I Still Don’t Accept Evil Guinevere

I said I’d be brief, so here you go: I still don’t accept evil Guinevere. I don’t accept her change of heart and I don’t know where the writers are going with this. As with her acts of treason and murder, how is she ever going to come back from this? She will eventually be exposed and when she is, she has to remain forever a nemesis or be cast out of Camelot and punished. These acts of betrayal are too absolute and there can be no absolution.

I feel kind of cheated. Was it too much for the writers to allow the simple serving girl some joy? It seems to me that she is repeatedly being reminded of her place in the lower classes of society, that as a woman and a peasant, the writers could not allow her to rise to the true status of a great and powerful leader. And yes, Guinevere of old was a bit of a traitor who conducted an affair with Lancelot but that is not what we’ve been told for almost five full seasons of Merlin.

Quotes and snippets

Daegal: "Why are you being like this? People I've met, they're... not like you. They don't care, I don't matter"

Merlin: "Don't ever think that. We all matter"

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Gaius: "He also has a fondness for assassinating his friends"

Arthur: "I doubt we'll ever be that close"

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Guinevere: "I have a simple proposition, one that would be mutually beneficial. You kill Arthur, I assume the throne and in gratitude give over one third of Camelot's lands to Amata"

___

Bandit: "You don't even have a sword"

Merlin: "I don't need one"

___

Daegal: "Merlin, you may be a warlock but you need that treated. I'll help you. Please, please"

Click on high-res stills for full resolutions

BBC Merlin returns on Saturday, 1 December at 8.00pm with “With All My Heart”.

All images © BBC / Shine

TV Review: Merlin – “A Lesson in Vengeance”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 15:21:29 PST

Well, I guess it had to happen, given my blind dedication to Merlin over the past 5 years. I really didn’t like tonight’s episode of Merlin and my overall impression was so poor that I considered giving up on the show.

I really don’t like where the writers are going with the story this season and I also don’t know if I have the energy for an evil Guinevere. It all feels too contrived to me and a bit like a bad episode of The Bold and Beautiful. I realise Guinevere (Angel Coulby) might have been enchanted but it seems more likely to me that the writers are trying to sell that her spirit was so broken in the Dark Tower that she has become the opposite of everything she was and everything she stood for before. If she is enchanted, it gets a little boring and a little bit too easy; if she’s not enchanted, then this really is a bad soap opera script.

*** Spoiler alert ***

Spoilers for “A Lesson in Vengeance”

“A Lesson in Vengeance” begins with Arthur, Guinevere and Merlin riding off into the woods to celebrate the royal couple’s anniversary. A hex spooks the horses and the party is ambushed, with Arthur narrowly escaping death and Merlin using sorcery to protect him.

Back at the castle, a witch hunt is launched and it soon emerges that Arthur’s saddle was tampered with. The groomsman Tyr Seward (John Bradley) is arrested, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death for his crimes.

What I Didn’t Like

I didn’t like that an innocent man was accused of treason and that he was sentenced to such a severe punishment. We’ve seen this too many times, especially as Uther Pendragon sentenced far too many innocent people to death. I simply cannot accept that Guinevere, who was once unfairly accused, sentenced and banished from Camelot would see the justice in this, no matter how determined she was to exact revenge on Arthur.

Hate is such a strong word, isn’t it? And didn’t your mother always tell you not to use it? Fine, I won’t use it lightly. I hated that Guinevere committed murder. I have no idea why the writers decided to go there but you can’t ever return from an act like that. What are the options? It was sorcery and the enchantment ends? She still committed murder. She really has done a personality 180°c and has claimed the evil witch-from-hell-crown from Morgana? I don’t buy it. I just don’t. She repents and begs Arthur for forgiveness and we have a couple of touching episodes focusing on her infinite contrition? She still killed a man.

Naturally, I was pretty disgusted when she accused Merlin of poisoning Arthur. No matter how she feels about Arthur, I cannot believe that she’d turn against Merlin.

A Glimmer of Light

Merlin provided the only glimmer of light in this episode. I really enjoyed the scene where he escaped from the cells and used his magic to bring darkness on the courtyard and slip undetected into Arthur’s room. Once again, Colin Morgan proved what a fine actor he is and he aced the look of anguish on Merlin’s face when he thought he’d failed to save the king.

The subsequent conversation between Arthur and Merlin provided the only notable quotes of the entire episode:

Arthur: “I also told them that you simply weren’t bright enough to organise an assassination attempt”.

Merlin: “That’s very thoughtful”.

Arthur: “You’re welcome”.

Long Live the Queen

I strongly disliked the final scene, where Queen Guinevere is celebrated for supposedly getting to the bottom of the poison plot. I don’t like the look on her face and I think her own thirst for the throne of Camelot will begin to emerge soon and perhaps lead to conflict with her role as Morgana’s puppet queen.

I realise that the lines have been written and the plots finalised and the writers have already decided exactly where Merlin is going but I’m quite afraid that this might be the beginning of the end for me. I’m really feeling that disappointed and let down after tonight’s episode.

What are your thoughts on “A Lesson in Vengeance”? Did you enjoy it? Do you like this plot twist? Or do you agree with me that the writers have left the reservation?

TV Review: Merlin – “The Dark Tower”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:12:44 PST

Before we begin with this week’s Merlin review, I think it is only fair that I make a slight disclaimer. I have flu, not your average bad cold but a bone-aching, feverish, dismal sort of affair which requires pretty strong flu meds and lots of sleep. I mention this for three reasons: this review might not make any sense at all, it might or might not be shorter (or longer) than usual, and my experiences of last night’s episode may have been a little exaggerated. Then again, it might be that it really was that terrifying and ultimately horrible.

“The Dark Tower” begins on a hilltop high above Camelot where Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun) and Guinevere stand by their father’s grave. It was a grim reminder of all that the siblings had lost at the hands of the Pendragon dynasty, as Uther Pendragon might have executed their father Tom but it was Arthur who arrested him in the first place. Not only did Guinevere lose her father in that episode (“To Kill the King”, season 1) but it was also a major turning point for Morgana.

*** Spoiler alert ***

Some spoilers for “The Dark Tower”

On the way back to Camelot, Morgana ambushes the party with venomous vipers and kidnaps Guinevere, whisking her off to The Dark Tower. But, as we’ll learn, the Dark Tower is not a real place but the place of nightmares and terror and all that is dark and evil in the world.

What Terrified Yet Impressed Me

This episode was absolutely terrifying, in an almost not-safe-for-children kind of way. Yes, that might be the fever talking but I jumped out of my skin on several occasions.

Nevertheless I really loved the writing in “The Dark Tower”. I loved the mythology of the Tower, that it is something Arthur knew of, that it is terrible and that we must not speak of it. As Mab explained, it is not real but the embodiment of fears and bad dreams and I really appreciated the imagery and symbolism in this episode (did I mention I was a Psychology major?). I loved the Impenetrable Forest and Mab’s instructions for escaping it but I have to admit that it fell flat in the execution when Merlin used magic to find his way instead.

The Dark Tower itself was just horrible and hats off to Angel Coulby for her fantastic acting in this episode. I loved her portrayal of Guinevere’s defiance in the face of utter horror and despair. The Dark Tower was Guinevere’s personal house of horrors with the mandrake roots, screams, shadows, laughter, darkness, whispers, hallucinations, footsteps and constant dripping. I guess it was no wonder that Guinevere might have cracked under that pressure.

I was also impressed that Morgana (Katie McGrath) reached a new level of manipulation, evil and nastiness in “The Dark Tower”. She was absolutely menacing and malevolent and I always appreciate when they write a bit of depth into her character.

What I Loved

I loved that Arthur’s men, and Merlin, would not turn back when given the option of doing so. Each had their own reason, be it sister, Queen, friend or damsel in distress, but each asserted once again why they are the Knights of Camelot.

Kerry Wenham was simply spectacular as Queen Mab and I honestly think this is one of the best-written scenes in the whole of Merlin. It was that good that I replayed the scene over and over again (thank you Sky +) and have practically quoted the entire scene below. I just loved her cadence and the flow of her lines in riddles and rhyme.

I really loved the music that played in the scenes with Morgana and Guinevere and how it changed slightly when Guinevere was defiant. It was eerie and creepy and really quite beautiful. Perhaps we could encourage the BBC to release the score from this season?

*** DOUBLE SPOILER ALERT ***

In which I discuss the ending of “The Dark Tower”

WTF?

I apologise, I really did try to think of a better title for this section but this one captures my enduring impression of the climax and ending of “The Dark Tower”. It is strange, but in the opening scenes of this episode, I thought to myself how nice it was that Sir Elyan and Guinevere were finally getting a bigger storyline that wasn’t absolutely crappy and involved one or both of them being sentenced to death.

I was wrong.

I just don’t understand why Elyan had to die and I don’t see how he (or Merlin) could have done anything differently that would have taken Mab’s advice into account and not lead to his death. Perhaps it was simply a warning that the Knights of Camelot must act as one or they will be defeated? This is definitely the fan in me talking but after all of the crappy things Elyan has gone through in previous seasons, did he really have to die defending his sister?

Part of me also doesn’t understand the whole scene with Guinevere and Elyan in the tower. If she had broken by then, if she had finally succumbed to the terror and gone all Stockholm Syndrome on Morgana, why did she not at least say anything to Elyan, to protect him? Especially if the sword was meant for Arthur? The whole idea is that Morgana was somehow able to prove to Guinevere just how evil the Pendragon’s were and how she wasn’t part of them, but the only person that let Elyan die was Guinevere. How was it Arthur’s fault that Elyan rushed ahead to save his sister?

That same part of me just doesn’t believe that Guinevere would have broken down, no matter how much terror Morgana subjected her to. Don’t forget, her last words to Morgana before the scene where she finally breaks down in her arms were, “no, whatever twisted game you’re playing, I want no part in it. I would rather stay here and die”. I find it hard to accept the final scene or believe that Guinevere has gone over to the dark side.

Quotable Quotes

Morgana: “Sleep my lady for it will be some time before you do so again”

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Guinevere: “I don’t know what cruel trick you’re playing but I will not be broken by you”.

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Queen Mab: “Why, I’m Queen Mab. I am the spirit of this place and all the places that bring despair to men’s hearts. Few have ever seen me Emrys, you should count yourself fortunate”.

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Queen Mab: “Oh, little one. You shouldn’t have to ask. Left is right and right is left and the way behind is the way ahead. It is simple”.

___

Queen Mab: “The tower is not a real place. It is the heart’s rest, the mind’s deepest fear, the stillness in the hummingbird’s eye”.

Merlin: “Stop speaking in riddles!”

Queen Mab: “Then I will talk in rhyme. Heed my words with due concern or one of you will not return”.

___

Verdict

Ultimately, “The Dark Tower” rendered me grumpy and unhappy from a fan’s point of view and worried that the episode was not suitable for children at all. As a lover of horror, I quite enjoyed the really scary parts of the episode and I was impressed with the writing in the first two-thirds of the episode. I think there were some inconsistencies in the latter part of the episode and a lot of things just didn’t add up but I’ll have to see how future episodes play out before making a final judgement on that.

TV Review: Merlin – “The Disir”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 01:55:38 PST

Wow. How is it possible to both love and hate an episode this much? I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer after watching “The Disir” and it has left me quite conflicted. I’m still trying to figure out whether the several mistakes made in the episode were consistent with the characters’ fears and personalities, or was it just the writers teasing us again with the Big Magic Reveal and ultimately disappointing us again? Ultimately, this is a fantastic episode but one that spells misery and misfortune for Arthur in the years to come.

“The Disir” opens with the three seers of the Disir assigning a grave task to the sorcerer Osgar (Andrew Tiernan) to deliver judgement upon Arthur Pendragon. Osgar meets up with Arthur to present him with the judgement in the physical form of a coin, the rune mark of the Disir. Intrigued as to its meaning, Arthur ignores the concerns of both Merlin and Guinevere and travels to the Disir to question the meaning of the judgement. Ignoring Merlin’s warnings, Arthur (Bradley James) and the Knights of Camelot burst into the sacred cave of the Disir armed, with little regard for the sacred relics that they trample beneath their feet. Tragedy ensues and Arthur is left with a terrible decision. Will he choose wisely?

*** Spoiler alert ***

Spoilers for “The Disir”

What Intrigued Me

There is no doubt that most of this episode intrigued me. I loved it when Osgar met with Arthur and had no interest in harming him. Not all in the Old Religion wish to bring harm to Arthur but they do seek to test him. I loved the idea of the coin, the Rune of the Disir, a relic that carries so much weight in its judgement. Osgar tells Arthur that this is his judgement and fate for the war he has waged on the Old Religion and that the circle of fate has begun to close. He warns Arthur that this is his last chance but in his arrogance, Arthur will not listen.

At this point I pondered the meaning of this. Did it mean there was a chance that Arthur could be redeemed for the war with the Old Religion? On their return to Camelot, Gaius further indicates that redemption is indeed a possibility but that only the gods could change fate and to achieve this, Arthur would need to repent and appease them. I loved that Gaius refused to dismiss other people’s beliefs.

This episode is such a major turning point and nothing illustrates this more than when Merlin says to Arthur, “perhaps they feel you are worthy enough to be judged… Judgement is wasted on a man who won’t listen”. There you go, Arthur could listen, he should listen, but just who is it who ultimately advises him to remain deaf?

Dodgy Advice and Terrible Decisions

And then the episode goes sharply downhill. I’m going to try be as brief as possible here in the hopes that this doesn’t turn into a thesis.

I was not impressed with Kilgharrah’s advice (and am I the only one that finds Merlin’s running-dragon-call cheesy?). Kilgharrah tells Merlin to kill Mordred at the first chance he gets. No! That cannot achieve anything! At one point later in the episode, I had a light bulb moment and thought Kilgharrah had done this so that Arthur could be given the chance to save Mordred and perhaps he did, but in that case Arthur failed.

I did not like Guinevere’s show of unconditional love and her proclamation that to know Arthur is to love him. She knows sorcery! Why was she not giving him decent advice? Why is no one steering Arthur towards the eventual acceptance and tolerance of the Old Religion?

I hated that Arthur and his knights stormed into the sacred place of the Disir but more than that, I hated that Mordred went along with it. I thought that was completely out of character and even if he is doing his best to remain in character (see my predictions below), I simply believe that his own beliefs and superstitions would have prevented him from doing so.

One tiny beacon of love: I loved it when the seer saw Merlin. Nothing was said but that look was significant, she really saw him and recognised him as Emrys.

And then I hated it when Merlin refused to treat Mordred. It was absolutely, fundamentally wrong. If there was a Hippocratic oath for wizards then Merlin broke it. First do no harm!

I disagree when Merlin states that he couldn’t ignore Kilgharrah. Merlin is the master of the dragon, not the other way around! If he cannot assert himself in that relationship then he will never be the great wizard he is destined to become!

So Close But So Far Away (Or, Arthur Saves the Day… Almost)

There was so much promise at this point in the episode. Arthur bravely goes back to confront the Disir, and shows them the respect that they deserve.

I do think the Disir presented him with an impossible option. He could not swear unto the Old Religion any more than they could convert to his ways, but I did expect him to find a solution and reach a compromise, one that would usher in an era of tolerance and understanding of sorcery in Albion.

I loved the scene in the forest with Arthur and Merlin on opposite sides of the fire. The realist and the altruist. I loved the discussion of sorcery and Arthur’s admission of his fear of chaos. And he came so close when he wonders aloud, “perhaps my father was wrong, perhaps the old ways aren’t as evil as we thought”.

There we are, at the threshold of a whole new world and Merlin ruins it all when he says, “there can be no place for magic in Camelot”. I get it, I get what that cost Merlin and I have to commend Colin Morgan’s incredible acting in this scene. It was simply phenomenal but it broke my heart into tiny little pieces. Merlin has seriously compromised everything he has become and everything he stands for in his execution of Kilgharrah’s advice.

Predictions

From the outset I realised that I really don’t like or trust Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) but it is possible that his part is better written than the part of Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) in season 4. If I’m correct, then the events in this episode were a carefully planned test that Mordred was completely aware of. I do think Arthur’s decision will come back to haunt him and that Mordred will explicitly seek to punish him for betraying him and not choosing to save his life even if it meant embracing sorcery. If so he will make a far more devious and skilful villain than both Agravaine and Morgana and their hackneyed attempts to destroy Arthur.

Quotes of Doom

Gaius: “Perhaps, perhaps not. The future has many paths. That is only one”

___

Gaius: “Seeing is not knowing and we must know for certain before we act”.

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Olgar: “It’s not too late, Arthur. Not too late to find the true path, redeem yourself. No further chance shall be given”.

___

Mordred: “Until then, we go unmarked in death as in life”.

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Gaius: “The Disir have seen fit to give this to you. This is the judgement of the gods against you”.

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Arthur: “Why would a sorcerer pity a king?”

___

The Disir: “You are known Arthur, you have always been known… And now you come here, to the most sacred of the sacred, to the very heart of the Old Religion, with weapons drawn, trampling hallowed relics, treating our sacred space like you do you kingdom, with arrogance, with conceit, with insolence!”

Verdict

“The Disir” was perhaps the best episode of the entire series to date and if I gave starred reviews for individual episodes, this one would have received five stars. Yes, it has left me with a heavy heart but it feels quite momentous, as has most of this season. I cannot wait until next week.

BBC Merlin returns on Saturday, 10 November at 8.05pm with “The Dark Tower”. When Guinevere disappears from Camelot, Merlin knows that only Morgana can be responsible. With Guinevere locked in the Dark Tower, it will take more than Arthur’s sheer will to rescue her.

The Science Behind Superheroes: Have You Got What It Takes?

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 08:44:41 PDT

TV Review: Merlin – “Another’s Sorrow”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 16:13:32 PDT

“Another’s Sorrow” sees the return of Morgana in yet another plot to destroy King Arthur. This time she teams up the ruthless Odin, the man who ordered Uther's death and is bent on avenging his son’s death. Together they invade Nemeth, capture King Rodor and use Princess Mithian (Janet Montgomery) as bait to lure Arthur to a certain death.

A Thing of Beauty

What struck me most about this episode was that it was really beautiful. The episode opened with fabulous cinematography as the camera zoomed down into a gorgeous valley and we enter Rodor’s castle. The castle is quite exquisite with domes, arches and marble pillars and it certainly seems more ornate than the castle at Camelot.

But in this episode, directed by Ashley Way, we also see a different side to Camelot too, especially the scene where Mithian flees from her room and we see the stone arches, stained glass windows and elaborate walkways of the castle.

I don’t know for sure, but I think this episode might have been filmed in France because the forest scenes with the fields of wild lavender were really beautiful and I loved the ruins where King Arthur (Bradley James) and his men camp for the night.

I haven’t decided whether it was CGI or not, but I loved the look of the tomb as well.

I always enjoy the forest and outdoor scenes in Merlin but hats off to the production team because this episode was really well designed.

*** Spoiler alert ***

Spoilers for “Another’s Sorrow”

What I Loved

Like “The Death Song of Uther Pendragon”, I really loved this whole episode. It was great to see some old characters return and good to see some pretty big storylines being wrapped up.

Princess Mithian and King Rodor

Janet Montgomery was lovely as Mithian although I have to admit, for a lot of it she just displayed rather pained facial expressions as she tried to communicate her predicament to Arthur and Merlin. Still, she was as graceful and honourable as ever and certainly easy on the eye. I think I might have preferred her with lighter hair though.

In “Another’s Sorrow”, we were introduced to James Fox in his role as King Rodor of Nemeth, Mithian’s father. Special mention goes to this fine actor; we didn’t get to see much of him but thank goodness he got in a little bit of sword-wielding action.

Morgana

It’s not often I have anything nice to say about Morgana (no offense intended to Katie McGrath) but I quite enjoyed her in this episode. In the opening scenes, she was looking positively evil, obviously having been to Cruella De Vil’s school of hair design. Naturally, she is coming up with yet another scheme in her relentless desire to relieve Arthur of his throne, but at least she was pretty frank about it.

For the bulk of the episode, we see Morgana disguised as an old crone and somehow about this crumpled old hag with the gravelly voice was far more appealing to me than what we usually see of Morgana.

Challenging King Arthur

I love that Guinevere, Merlin and Sir Leon (Rupert Young) all challenge Arthur regarding his motives for wanting to rescue Rodor and confront Odin. Is it a call to duty as he claims it is, a desire to protect Mithian from suffering the loss of her father at Odin’s hands? Or is he blindly motivated by his desire for revenge, so much so that he would put his own life and the lives of his knights in danger?

One of my favourite parts of this episode was Arthur’s bravery which is becoming ever more apparent as the season goes on. He does not hesitate in going to Rodor’s rescue, although he does need to learn t trust the opinions of those around him.

His bravery in the face of his own death was incredible, as was his utter conviction that the Knights of Camelot would go to the ends of the earth to avenge his death. If only he would put that kind of trust and faith in Merlin, his biggest supporter and protector.

In the final showdown with Odin, it was one simple gesture which convinced me of the king he has become. When Odin and his men corner him and Merlin, he walks right up to Odin and into the path of his sword. He shows no fear, only the surety that he is right.

The Merlin Fan Club

I’m sensing a bit of a pattern emerging here because once again, Merlin was the absolute star of the episode. This time he doesn’t save Arthur through magic, but he does save Odin’s life and Arthur’s honour by appealing to Arthur’s morality and conviction. The best part of all of this? In the closing scenes of the episode, Arthur admits that it was Merlin that was the real hero on this occasion.

Perhaps it is a message? While I wish so much for Merlin’s magic to be revealed, perhaps it is important to remember that Arthur’s journey will not be one of magic and he may be aided by sorcery but it will not be the fabric of his success and his fate. His greatest tool is his honour and his destiny.

Odin (Fintan McKeown) and Arthur have lost so much in this blood feud but when they finally make peace, it is a sign that peace might finally be reached throughout the kingdoms of Albion. I really enjoyed this resolution. It is a damning reflection on just what could be achieved if Morgana would just bury the hatchet but, of course, we know she never will.

Fabulous Quotes

Perhaps I was enjoying the episode too much but I didn’t find as many memorable quotes this time.

Morgana: “I seek what’s rightfully mine. I seek the throne of Camelot”.

___

Arthur: “Odin is a plague on this land. I can’t just stand by and watch him murder Mithian’s father as he murdered my own”.

___

Arthur: “So be it, but understand this Odin. You kill me and you’ll have all of Camelot to answer to”.

Odin: “Camelot is nothing without its king”.

Arthur: “You don’t know my knights. The will hunt you and they will find you and they will not rest until they’re done”.

___

King Rodor: “Don’t look so surprised. I commanded an army in my time”.

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Merlin: “How many times have you talked about uniting this land? Will killing this man make that dream any closer?”

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Arthur: “Odin, we cannot let it end like this. The blood will never wash off”.

___

BBC Merlin returns on Saturday, 3 November at 8.15pm with “The Disir ”. With three witches and a deathly prophecy, it sounds a bit like Macbeth and should make a brilliant Halloween / Bonfire Night episode.

TV Review: Merlin – “The Death Song of Uther Pendragon”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:00:24 PDT

When Arthur saves a witch from execution, the dying woman gifts him the Horn of Cathbhadh, a magical instrument that has the power to summon the spirits of the dead. As the anniversary of his coronation looms, Arthur cannot resist the urge to call his father Uther Pendragon back from the dead. We’ve waited a full year to see the return of Anthony Head as Uther but this was no bittersweet reunion. From the outset it is clear that the ghost of Uther does not approve of the king that Arthur has become and he does not have his best interests at heart.

It’s All About the Love

“The Death Song of Uther Pendragon”

I loved “The Death Song of Uther Pendragon” which is hardly surprising as it was a creepy, terrifying ghost story. More than that though, I loved that this episode showed us just how far Arthur has come and why he was a better leader of Camelot. We might miss King Uther and it was very touching when he expressed his dying regret that he had put Camelot before Arthur, but the truth remains that he stood for all that was divisive and destructive to Camelot.

King Arthur – the king who is not his father

This whole episode was about Arthur, about who he is as a king and what he has become. In the opening scenes, he shows that strength and courage in his swift action against the villagers as they move to burn the witch. I loved when he pulled his sword on the old man and ordered him to cut the woman down.

Later in the castle, we got to witness some incredible acting from Bradley James as Arthur sits by his father’s tomb on the anniversary of his death. He didn’t say a word and yet the emotion in that moment was almost palpable.

The scene at the Great Stones of Nemeton was horrifying. Of course Arthur would seek to speak to his father one last time, to tell him everything he never got a chance to tell him but there is no way he could have been prepared for the ghost’s response. He attacks Arthur’s choice of common men as Knights of Camelot, derides his practice of listening to the opinions of others and of not ruling in fear, criticises his failure to marry strategically, and mocks his choice of a serving girl as queen. He finishes off by telling Arthur that he has failed and that the kingdom will fail. It must be devastating for the young king who simply wanted to reach out to his father one last time.

I loved that Uther summed up his entire rule and his character in this tirade and that it reminded us once and for all why Arthur is a better ruler than he could ever be.

The Haunting

Of course, the biggest mistake that Arthur made was not summoning his father’s spirit, but in looking back one last time at the spirit. The spirit is released into the world and soon appears in Camelot to wreak havoc in the castle. There are terrifying scenes at the Round Table, in the armour room and in the corridors as Guinevere is attacked. This was an absolute scream-fest and I loved it!

I loved the blackened ghost of Uther sitting on the throne, an evil effigy of the ruler Uther once was, hollowed out by the fear that he allowed to overcome him. Given the chaos his actions unleashed on Camelot, his fear of sorcery and the devastation of Morgana’s betrayal, this is what I would have expected the ghost of Uther to have become, in spite of his dying proclamations.

Arthur Stands Up To Uther

Arthur finally stands up to Uther and hunts him down in the castle. This felt really significant to me, as if it could be a turning point. If Arthur was standing up to his father, would he question what he stood for, perhaps revise his views on magic and sorcery?

This is the king, after all, who is willing to kill his own son for Camelot.

Merlin

I absolutely adored Merlin (Colin Morgan) in this episode. The final scenes where Merlin stands defiant, ordering Uther to back off and leave Arthur alone, were simply brilliant. I was cheering when Merlin showed Uther his power, when he stood up to him and told him that magic was always there at the heart of Camelot. If this is a taste of how exhilarating it will be when Merlin finally exposes his power to the rest of Camelot, then I cannot wait!

Of course, Uther then attacks Merlin in a chilling scene and never before have I feared that Merlin was in this much danger. I wonder what would have happened had Uther finished his sentence?

Favourite Quotes

As always, I love the dialogue in Merlin and the increasing significance of what is being said. I’ve tried not to transcribe the entire episode but here are some of my favourites.

Arthur: “What are you doing?”

Merlin: “Well, I assume we want to risk our lives and see what’s going on?”

Merlin (to Arthur): “You, thinking? Well now I’m really getting worried”.

Arthur: “It seems my father doesn’t approve of the way I’ve chosen to rule this kingdom”.

Merlin: “You mean your kingdom?”

Arthur: “I’ve always known my father could be cruel but why would he do this to Guinevere? He knows how much I love her”.

Merlin: “You've always done what you believed to be right, even if you knew your father
would disapprove of it. Do you not see how different you are to him? Camelot is a better place since you became king”.

Arthur: “My father clearly doesn't think so”.

Merlin: “The people believe in you, Arthur. It counts for nothing if you don't believe in yourself”.

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Arthur: “I know it’s you father… why are you doing this?”

Uther: “I did not spend my entire life building this kingdom to see my own son destroy it”.

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Merlin: “Get away from him Uther. You’ve caused enough harm. You must return to the other world”.

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Uther: “You have magic?”

Merlin (shouts): “I was born with it!”

Uther: “I made you Arthur's servant. You are a sorcerer!”

Merlin": “Even while you were king, there was magic at the heart of Camelot”.

Uther: “I will not allow you and your kind to poison my kingdom”.

Merlin: “You're wrong. You're wrong, about so much. Arthur is a better and more worthy
king than you ever were”.

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Merlin returns at 8:20pm on 27 October 2012 with “Another's Sorrow” where Janet Montgomery will reprise her role as Princess Mithian.